Ringing Bell
by Hissing Willows
Summary: Rusty wants nothing more than to join the strange Clan living in the forest. ThunderClan, however, is a wary bunch, and he is turned away. Rusty is determined to kill the traitor Tigerclaw and prove his worth, but he is young and weak. The only way he will ever win is to train hard and learn to survive—even if it means working with Tigerclaw himself in the meantime. (Oneshot AU.)


**This is a oneshot au inspired by a post by silverhawk on tumblr/the old movie Ringing Bell. You don't have to have seen the movie to understand the story, but it does provide some background if you're curious! It's basically about a lamb trying to get a wolf to teach him how to be a wolf like him. This was a fun story to write, and maybe I'll revisit it someday to make a longer/more detailed multi-chapter version!**

* * *

Under the faint glow of the moon, cats were fighting viciously. They battled at the Sunningrocks, a stretch of rocky land alongside the river. Screeches and shrieks rang out as blows were exchanged. Blood and fur littered the rocks. Though it appeared to be a usual battle skirmish between two frequently warring Clans, something more sinister was afoot.

A massive brown tabby stalked towards his target. Amidst all the fighting, no one noticed him creeping up upon his own Clanmate. _I'm sorry, Redtail,_ he thought. _But some sacrifices must be made if I am to become leader._

With a final check of his surroundings, he leaped for the tortoiseshell he had been stalking. The tabby collided into Redtail's side, bowling him over. They rolled behind a large boulder, out of sight of the other warriors. The tabby pinned Redtail to the ground, and the tortoiseshell gazed up at him, lips drawn back in a snarl.

The rage faded as confusion overtook Redtail's expression. "T...Tigerclaw?" he meowed. "What are you—"

Tigerclaw didn't reply. He surged forward and sank his jaws into Redtail's throat.

A yowl called out, startling the massive tom. "Traitor!"

Tigerclaw's moment of hesitation was all Redtail needed. The tortoiseshell dealt him a powerful kick to the belly and threw the large tom off of him. Tigerclaw landed on his feet, but was winded by the blow. With a wheeze, he glared over his shoulder for the source of the cat who had cost him victory.

A black-and-white tom was trembling a few fox-lengths behind him. "Traitor!" he repeated, raising his voice even louder. "Tigerclaw attacked Redtail!"

 _Fox-dung! It's Patchpelt!_ Tigerclaw thought. His own uncle had lost him his moment of glory.

Redtail regained his footing, and the battle around them began to still. Tigerclaw's Clanmates separated themselves from the cats they had just been battling.

Redtail let out a growl and stepped back out from behind the boulder. He was bleeding slightly from the neck, but it looked far from fatal.

"Tigerclaw wouldn't," a young dark tabby protested. "Patchpelt… h-he must be confused!"

Redtail whipped around to face the tabby. "He is not confused, Darkpaw!" he spat. He glared at Tigerclaw. "I trusted you!"

Tigerclaw curled his lip. He was aware of his Clanmates slowly advancing on him. They looked uncertain—after all, he was a highly respected warrior—but they would not doubt the word of their trusted deputy. "You're a fine cat, Redtail," Tigerclaw growled. "But a weak deputy. ThunderClan needs a strong leader."

"And that would be _you_?" Redtail demanded. "No one would let you lead now!" He glanced over his shoulder. "Oakheart," he called. "We will settle this another time."

The tom, a stocky brown tabby, gave a slight nod. "I understand," he replied. "RiverClan, let's go home and let them deal with this."

His warriors looked annoyed, but no one argued. Slowly, the enemy cats retreated into the river and swam away.

Redtail lifted his chin. "You will return to ThunderClan to face Bluestar," he snarled. "I doubt she will have any sympathy for you."

Tigerclaw's eyes darted about. His Clanmates were slowly circling him, but he could see an opening. _Right between Runningwind and Patchpelt._ "No," he retorted. "I'll take my leave… for now. You haven't seen the last of me." He whipped around and charged towards Runningwind, who yelped and scrambled away. The tom raced off into the undergrowth.

"Shall we give chase?" A molly asked.

Redtail sighed and shook his head. "Let him go," he replied. "We need to tell Bluestar what's happened."

* * *

 _ **Several moons later.**_

Rusty pressed himself to the forest floor, trying to stay as low as he could. A mouse was foraging just a few fox-lengths away, and he was determined to catch it. His dreams had led him to the forest many times, but this was the first attempt he had made to enter it.

The ferns beyond rustled, and the mouse darted away. Rusty sat up and lashed his tail irritably. "Come on!" he muttered.

He hardly had time to wallow in his defeat, for a gray cat shot out from the undergrowth and leaped for him. Rusty let out a startled yowl as he was knocked over by the assailant.

"Intruder!" yowled the gray cat. The pair went rolling over and over, biting and swiping at each other, before Rusty kicked the other tom off of him.

Rusty rolled back onto his paws. He arched his back and hissed, tail lashing about. The other cat, however, simply sat up and gave his dusty chest a lick.

"Wow!" the stranger meowed. "You put up a fight for a kittypet. Lionheart said they're all cowards!"

Rusty glared suspiciously at the gray kitten. His assailant, however, seemed to have already relaxed. The gray cat bent his head to lick at his chest fur a moment, before he straightened back up. "I'm Graypaw. What are doing on ThunderClan territory? Don't you know it's dangerous?"

Rusty frowned. "ThunderClan?" he echoed, before he shook his head. "If you're the most dangerous thing here, I think I'll be fine!"

Graypaw scoffed. "Hardly! I've only been an apprentice a few days. If ThunderClan warriors were here, they'd beat you to a pulp! And that's _if_ the foxes and badgers don't get you." His eyes widened slightly. "And then there's always… _Tigerclaw_."

Rusty didn't have a chance to ask what Graypaw meant by all that. Graypaw's ears pricked suddenly. "Oh no! I hear my Clanmates. You better run, kittypet!"

Rusty bristled indignantly. _I'm not going anywhere!_

Slowly, a blue-furred molly stepped out from the undergrowth. Behind her came a large golden tom. "Graypaw!" the tom scolded. "You know you're not supposed to leave camp alone!" He blinked as he noticed Rusty. "What's this?" he asked. "Why is a kittypet here?"

Rusty lifted his chin. "I was just exploring!"

The molly narrowed her eyes. "These woods are no place for a kittypet kit," she said, voice stern. "This is ThunderClan territory. All prey and land here belongs to us."

Rusty flicked his tail. "I just want a mouse," he complained. "Then I'll go home."

The molly scowled. Her hackles began to rise. "You daft kittypet," she growled. "ThunderClan needs every scrap of prey we can find. _You_ have a full meal whenever you return home. We have to catch every meal, and fight off trespassers like you who would try and steal it from us. You hunt for your own enjoyment. We have queens and kits to feed, and elders who can no longer hunt." She took a step forward. "Every piece of prey we lose to thieves is a day a Clanmate goes hungry."

Rusty flattened his ears. _I didn't think of it that way._

"Bluestar, send the kittypet off," the golden tom sighed. "Better for him and us to be on our way."

 _But I don't want to leave yet!_ Although he felt guilty for trying to take prey when the situation sounded so dire, these 'ThunderClan' cats intrigued him. "Wait," he meowed. "Can you tell me what it's like? Being in ThunderClan?"

Bluestar's gaze softened. "It's hard," she said. "We don't eat and sleep as often as you do. We patrol our territory every day to protect it from predators and other Clan cats. We have to hunt every day to provide for the rest of our Clan. There is danger all around us, even when we are not at war. Some of us even die to protect the Clan." She lifted her chin. "But there are great parts of Clan life. We have true friends and families. There is no greater bond than that of a Clanmate. We live a noble life by the warrior code. And when we die, our souls move on to hunt with StarClan." Her voice was gripped with conviction. "I would never give up the life of a ThunderClan warrior for yours, kittypet, even if I would have a full belly."

Rusty hardly heard the last jab at him. His mind was spinning. Even if there were challenges, ThunderClan life sounded _exciting_. Bluestar spoke of ThunderClan like there was nothing more important that existed. _My dreams must have brought me here for a reason!_ Rusty stared up at Bluestar, eyes wide with wonder. "I want to be a Clan cat like you!" he declared.

Bluestar shared an uncertain look with the golden tom. "Truth be told, ThunderClan needs more apprentices and warriors," she admitted.

Rusty's heart soared. _Yes!_

"But…" Bluestar sighed. "We are in a tough position. A traitor to the Clan has been lurking in the territory since he escaped us, and he has tried to send outsiders to attack us before." She frowned. "I cannot take in just any outsider on a whim. Not even a young kittypet such as yourself."

Rusty narrowed his eyes. He knew already that this was what he wanted. Living as a pet bored him greatly—why else would he wander off into the woods? "I won't be a burden," he promised. "I can fight!"

"He didn't hesitate to fight me," Graypaw piped up.

"Still…" Bluestar shook her head. "I'm sorry, kittypet, but the answer is no. Unless you can prove yourself to ThunderClan, I'm afraid I cannot take you into our ranks."

Rusty's tail drooped. "But being a warrior sounds so great. I want to be like you!"

The golden tom whispered something in Bluestar's ear. She twitched her whiskers. "Lionheart suggests that perhaps if you could rid us of the traitor, you could become a ThunderClan warrior." She flicked her tail. "But it would be impossible for you. At least while you're so young."

Rusty lifted his chin. "I'll do it!" he meowed. "I'll get rid of them."

Bluestar shook her head. "Go home to your twolegs, little one. He would kill you with a single bat of his paw."

Lionheart nodded sagely. "Perhaps return when you're older and stronger… if your twolegs don't have you altered by then."

Rusty scowled. The more the Clan cats discouraged him, the more determined he was to do it. "No!" he shouted. "I'll find him and defeat him. I'll be a ThunderClan cat!"

Bluestar sighed. "Going after him is a death wish." She turned and padded back the way she had come.

Lionheart looked sympathetic. "Go home. You'll be lucky if he doesn't find you first." He followed Bluestar back into the ferns.

"No!" Rusty cried. "Wait!"

Graypaw hesitated. "Do you _really_ want to find him?"

Rusty nodded quickly. "I want to be a warrior like you all!"

Graypaw's eyes darted about. In a hushed voice, he explained, "His name is Tigerclaw. I've never seen him face-to-face, but we've all smelled traces of his scent. He tried to murder a deputy ages ago, before I was born. He's a big mean brute—big as a dog!" Graypaw shuddered at the thought. "The last time a patrol caught his scent was at the Sunningrocks. It's near the river. I don't know if he'd still be there, but… that's your best bet." Graypaw turned and raced off after the other Clan cats.

Rusty milled about for a few moments, uncertain. He knew there _was_ a river out here, but he wasn't certain which direction it would be in. _Should I go home?_

"Rusty!" a distant voice called. "Ruuuusty!"

His housefolk. Habit told him to turn and walk out of the woods and back to his familiar yard, but something else compelled him to stay. He _wanted_ to be out in the woods, hunting and fighting… Clan life sounded like it had much more meaning than lying about in the sun all day chatting with Smudge. There was a tug in Rusty's paws. _I'll find the river,_ he thought. _I'll find Tigerclaw. I'll defeat him and be a ThunderClan cat!_

Rusty set off into the woods, unsure of his route, but certain in his conviction.

* * *

Two days and an empty belly later, Rusty wasn't entirely sure this was the best plan.

He had wandered the woods aimlessly, searching for any sign of the river. He had found it a day after leaving his home, but there was no sign of a 'big mean brute' anywhere. Rusty had settled down to wait for a while until a few cats from across the river had laughed about how 'ThunderClan had a kittypet invasion', at which point Rusty sculked away into the woods again, embarrassed.

He hadn't caught a morsel of food, either. Rusty wandered across the carcass of a rat, but it was long-rotted and a mouthful surely would have made him ill.

Rusty's ears pricked curiously as the treeline suddenly ended. Ahead was a stretch of rocky terrain, much like the shore of the river. _Maybe I should rest here,_ he thought, feeling miserable. His stomach rumbled. _Maybe there will be mice hiding in the rocks._ He crept forward, whiskers twitching as he approached. He tried to move slowly so as not to disturb his bell—the irritating thing had cost him a number of catches already.

 _There!_ Rusty stiffened as he saw a flash of brown. Some sort of mouse-like rodent was scurrying about the rocks, pausing every now and then to wash its whiskers. _I have to catch this._ He crouched instinctively and stalked forward, placing each step with intention.

Something stirred among the rocks behind him, but he ignored it. The sound had not yet caused the rodent to flee. Rusty froze, preparing to leap.

A sharp hiss came from behind him—but the noise wasn't feline. Rusty had never heard it before, but it sent his fur standing on end. He glanced over his shoulder.

A long brown thing was slithering towards him. It was legless, and covered in scales. Rusty turned around fully to face it. Slowly, the animal's head lifted, and a forked tongue flicked out of its mouth.

 _What is that?_ Rusty lifted a paw to bat at it. The snake parted its jaws.

Rusty gulped. Those fangs looked longer than he would have imagined.

Suddenly, something leaped from one of the higher rocks and landed directly on top of the strange animal. It was another cat—and he was simply _gigantic_. He slammed a paw down on the head of the animal, pinning it to the ground. The long body whipped around uselessly until the cat bit down near the thing's neck. There was a sharp crunch, and the animal went still.

The cat straightened up. "You daft kit," he growled. "What are doing playing in _Snakerocks_?" He paused, and his eyes travelled down to Rusty's collar. "My, my," he rumbled, beginning to sound amused. "How in the good name of StarClan did a kittypet stray this far into ThunderClan land?"

Rusty eyes him curiously. "What was that?" he asked.

"Are you mouse-brained?" The tom growled. "That was an adder. A single bite would have poisoned you and sent you into a painful death." He snorted loudly. "Had I realized you were a kittypet, I may have left you to deal with it yourself."

Rusty blinked. _What's his deal?_ "Are you from ThunderClan?" he asked.

"Once," the tom simply replied. "How do you know of them, runt?"

Rusty puffed out his chest. "I'm hunting a traitor for them!" he boldly declared. "They said I had to prove myself before they'll let me join them and be a warrior."

"Oh?" The tom lifted a brow. "And who might this traitor be?"

"His name is Tigerclaw," Rusty meowed. "Do you know him?"

The tom chuckled. "Little flea, I _am_ Tigerclaw."

Rusty gasped. "You tried to murder someone!" he exclaimed. He bristled suddenly and lashed his tail. "I have to defeat you!"

Tigerclaw snorted loudly. "You're hardly the size of my tail. Go home to your kittypets and be grateful I wasted my time saving you." He picked up the limp adder in his jaws and began to pad away.

"Hey!" Rusty shouted. He hurried after Tigerclaw. "Come back! I have to defeat you!"

Tigerclaw's tail flicked silently as he plodded on. Rusty growled and launched himself forward. He leaped for Tigerclaw's tail and gripped it in his teeth.

Tigerclaw kicked him off easily and continued on his way, flicking an ear in irritation.

"Fight me!" Rusty yowled. "I have to defeat you!"

They went on like this for a few more paces until Tigerclaw dropped the adder, turned around, and straightened up to his full height. Rusty skidded to a halt and gulped. Tigerclaw was three times his size at _least_ , and the big tom knew it. "I am not wasting my time swatting at a kittypet _runt_ ," he growled. "You will die fighting me and I will have wasted my energy that could be spent elsewhere. Go away."

"No!" Rusty growled. "I want to be a ThunderClan cat, and this is how they'll take me in!"

Tigerclaw rolled his eyes. "You will never be strong. Certainly not strong enough to fight me. Go back to your twoleg den and eat slop."

Rusty considered this a moment before he shook his head. "Then teach me how to be strong like you!" he meowed. "I want to be strong so I can join ThunderClan."

Tigerclaw was quiet for a few moments. He seemed to be actually considering it. "Hm." He flicked an ear. "Perhaps it would be amusing to see how a kittypet fares in the forest." His tail twitched. "Very well, kittypet. Although if I grow bored of you I may just kill you."

"No, _I'm_ going to kill you one day!" Rusty retorted. "That's my job!"

"You're not even going to grow to reach my shoulder," Tigerclaw grunted. "Come along now. We don't need trouble from ThunderClan." He picked up the adder and continued on. Rusty hurried along after him.

One day he _would_ defeat Tigerclaw. For now, however, he needed to learn how.

* * *

Rusty landed in a heap. With a grunt, he pushed himself back up to his paws.

"Pathetic," Tigerclaw growled. "Again."

Rusty shook himself a bit. He had lost track of the days he had spent with Tigerclaw, but every day was an endless cycle of learning to hunt and fight. He was sore constantly and always dirty. His pelt was matted and his collar frayed. But he was determined and let nothing Tigerclaw said or did stop him from learning.

Rusty charged towards Tigerclaw. The massive tom narrowed his eyes and hissed. Rusty leaped, trying to aim for Tigerclaw's back.

Tigerclaw reared up and struck him down to the ground with a mighty smack of his paw. "Too slow!" he growled. "Again!"

This was how training went. Rusty had yet have much success—he was neither a skilled hunter nor an excellent fighter—and he had only earned critiques and a gruff attitude from Tigerclaw. Still, Rusty was begrudgingly beginning to give Tigerclaw genuine respect. He was harsh, yes, but he was clearly a fearsome cat. He had yet to watch him in a real fight, but he knew well enough from the blows he was dealt in training that Tigerclaw was a mighty warrior.

They sparred for a while longer until Rusty could hardly move. Finally, Tigerclaw grunted and sat down. "Enough," he said. "This has gone nowhere."

Rusty slowly sat up. He was sore from nose to tail and his pelt was a mess. Tigerstar glanced over him and scoffed. "Clean yourself up," he ordered. "No warrior should be looking like that."

"I'm not a warrior," Rusty retorted. "Neither are you. I don't even know _what_ we are."

Tigerclaw leaned back on his haunches. A distant look came over him. "I will always be a warrior," he said. "Perhaps you will be one someday… if you grow out of being a runt."

Rusty twitched his tail. "I have to defeat you first!" he reminded Tigerclaw. "Then I'll be a warrior."

Tigerclaw snorted softly. "Fat chance of that," he muttered. "Come. I'm getting hungry."

* * *

"What was it like?" Rusty asked, one night. He had been with Tigerclaw two moons now. "Being a ThunderClan cat?" Tigerclaw had told him little about his old life, and Rusty couldn't help but wonder about it.

Tigerclaw's thick tail flicked dismissively. "Go to sleep," he muttered. "More training tomorrow."

Rusty reached towards him and pawed at his side. "Come on," he pressed. "I'm not hanging around you to catch your fleas. I'm going to be a warrior someday! I want to know what it's really like."

Tigerclaw chuckled dryly. "Don't you need to kill me first?" he replied. "That will never happen. But…" he sighed and lifted his head. "I suppose I could tell you a little."

"Yes!" Rusty purred. "Is it great?"

"Hm." Tigerclaw looked thoughtful. "There… is no better life. Being surrounded by Clanmates, fighting alongside them for honor and prey… it is a glorious way to live." His lips turned down in a frown. "At least, it _was_. There was a time when ThunderClan was the most feared Clan in the forest, with the mightiest of warriors… now they're led by _Bluestar_ , who wants nothing to do with battle. She allowed too many slights against ThunderClan. The other Clans began to push their limits and test our borders. RiverClan began to try and claim Sunningrocks again—" He shook his head slightly. "You wouldn't know a thing about that. But she was a weak leader, and I knew what needed to be done to make us strong." Tigerclaw curled his lip. "No one listened."

Rusty listened carefully to every word. When Tigerclaw stopped speaking, he crept closer, eyes wide. "Is that why you tried to murder a cat?"

"Murder!" Scoffed TigerClaw. "I was doing ThunderClan a favor. I would have been the next choice for deputy, but Redtail was young and healthy. He clung to every foolish decree of Bluestar's… he was helping her weaken our Clan. A fine warrior, yes, but a poor deputy." His gaze hardened. "I would have brought ThunderClan our strength and honor back. A little sacrifice was needed for that." Tigerclaw lowered his head once more and rested his chin on his paws. "StarClan will judge me on my final day. I don't need the approval of Bluestar or the more spineless followers of hers."

Rusty let the silence linger a few more moments before he asked, "Will you go back?"

"Someday," Tigerclaw meowed. His voice was quiet. "Then ThunderClan will be mine, and all will be right again." He turned his head away from Rusty. "Now go to sleep."

* * *

Much time passed. Spring faded into long summer days. Eventually, the heavy heat of summer gave way, and the forest was covered in the orange and red leaves of fall.

Rusty rasped his tongue over a long scratch on his flank. His collar was long gone, as was any sign that he had once been a soft house cat. He was an adult now, lean and hardened by the ways of his new life. He never did grow to be as large and strong as Tigerclaw—he still only came up to the massive tom's shoulder, and he hardly had any bulk—but he had trained hard since he had found Tigerclaw.

Tigerclaw, a few fox-lengths away, was gnawing at the remains of a rabbit carcass. The past seasons had been kind to them both, and ThunderClan had not confronted them properly. On occasion, they would find scent markers left in places they had camped, but the Clan didn't seem eager for a fight. Tigerclaw would often say that it was a shame ThunderClan had become so cowardly, and that one day he would set things right.

Rusty no longer took to saying that he would kill Tigerclaw one day. He glanced his mentor's way. The thought of Clan life still intrigued him, but he had become so accustomed to his nomadic ways with Tigerclaw that he could imagine no other path. Sometimes, when Tigerclaw felt like speaking of his time in ThunderClan, Rusty felt a stirring in his heart, but he had not once tried to contact the Clan.

Tigerclaw quite suddenly sat up, and Rusty blinked. "I'm sick of this," he snapped. "I can't stand it anymore."

Rusty regarded him curiously. "Sick of the rabbit?" he asked, a teasing note in his voice.

"No!" Tigerclaw retorted. "I'm sick of living like rogues." He fixed Rusty with a fierce look. "It's time. I will take back what is rightfully mine today."

Rusty stiffened. _Now?_ He wondered. It had been some time since Tigerclaw had mentioned his ambition, but he supposed it was no surprise that it still clung to him. His pelt twitched and he sat up. "When will you go?"

"I will go now," Tigerclaw declared. "I need not sneak in under the cover of night. I will fight ThunderClan now, in the heart of their own camp. Then, I will kill Bluestar and lead them." He nodded to himself. "They will have no choice but to accept me as their leader. I'm sure others will follow me… Darkpaw for one. And if old Adderfang is still kicking, I doubt he is pleased with Bluestar, either." He glanced at Rusty once more. "And what about you?" he asked, sharply. "Will you come?"

Rusty was silent. _I don't know,_ he thought. _This wasn't really how I planned on today going._ _Though… nothing has been as I expected. I was naive when I came running into the woods… I suppose fighting with Tigerclaw now will still lead to me being a warrior._

He straightened up and nodded. "Yes," he said. "You've trained me for seasons, Tigerclaw. I wouldn't have survived the forest without you. It's time I pay that back. If you're ready to take ThunderClan, so be it!"

A rare smile came over Tigerclaw's features. "Excellent!" the tom replied. His tail lashed and he stood. "Then follow me. It's time to head into the heart of the territory. When we are victorious, Rusty, I will give you the name of a true warrior and make you my deputy." He turned and began to race into the deeper forest.

Rusty ran after him.

* * *

Rusty hadn't known what to expect when they arrived in ThunderClan. Tigerclaw spoke of ThunderClan in many different ways—some days he would say they had the bravest hearts of any Clan cats, and others he would say they were as spineless as worms.

What he found was something in between.

Rusty raced into the camp and threw himself on the first cat he saw, presumably the sentry. The cat yowled in shock as Rusty bowled him over.

Immediately, ThunderClan cats were leaping to their paws to fight. There seemed to be very few of them, however—Tigerclaw had chosen to attack them when much of the Clan was out patrolling. Tigerclaw came charging into came only a heartbeat after Rusty, and cats began to wail in terror as they recognized him. "It's Tigerclaw!" one molly cried. "He's back!"

The tom below Rusty squirmed, shrieking with fury, but Rusty held him firmly. Fighting a cat twice his size every day had taught him a thing or two.

Tigerclaw let out a mighty yowl. "ThunderClan!" he roared. "Bring me Bluestar! I have come to make good on my promise to return!"

"Never!" snarled a tabby molly. She raced for Tigerclaw. He whirled upon her and struck her down easily. A young cat, hardly older than a kitten, leaped for his tail. Tigerclaw kicked the youngster down and slashed at his side for good measure.

"Bring me Bluestar and I will spare him!" Tigerclaw yowled. He suddenly pressed a paw to the young cat's throat.

Rusty held his captive, but something uncomfortable stirred in his belly. The tom was a little golden-brown scrap, hardly older than he had been when he had ventured into the forest. The young cat gazed fearfully up at Tigerclaw. "Help!" he wailed.

A few cats tried to approach, but Tigerclaw let out a fearsome snarl. "Not a step closer!"

A blue-furred molly padded out from the crack of a huge stone. Rusty pricked his ears as he recognized her. _That's Bluestar._

"I'm right here, traitor," Bluestar growled. Her hackles began to rise. "After you kill Brackenpaw, what do you plan? To fight off the Clan as a whole?"

Her words would have had more impact had the camp been full. Rusty knew in his heart that Tigerclaw could easily flay any and all of the cats still in camp.

"Get off of me!" the tom beneath him spat. Rusty held his paw to the tom's throat, but he couldn't take his eyes off of Brackenpaw. He was hardly bigger than Tigerclaw's massive paw. With one twitch, Tigerclaw could rip the life out of him.

 _No!_ Something powerful came over Rusty. _I was supposed to stop this!_ _I was supposed to defeat him!_

Rusty abandoned the tom he had pinned. The cat tried to roll over and swipe at him, but Rusty ignored him.

He was racing for Tigerclaw. His mentor didn't expect the attack.

Rusty slammed into him, full force, and knocked Tigerclaw off of Brackenpaw. "Leave him alone!" Rusty snarled.

"Rusty?" Tigerclaw sounded genuinely surprised. He stumbled back, eyes wide with shock. "You…"

"How could I forget?" Rusty spat. He struck Tigerclaw across the shoulder, and his claws sliced through flesh. Tigerclaw hissed in pain. "How did I think this was right? I came to the forest to defeat you! You tried to destroy lives so you could have power!"

Tigerclaw took an uncertain step back. Though Brackenpaw had scrambled away, none of the other ThunderClan cats moved. Bluestar watched with interest.

Rusty kept moving forward. "I can't let you do this," he growled. "I can't let you hurt any more cats!"

Finally, Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes. "So be it." He surged forward and swiped for Rusty's face. Rusty stepped back and slashed his claws over the same shoulder. Tigerclaw yowled furiously and leaped forward.

Rusty dropped and rolled. He lashed out as he went, and his hind leg caught Tigerclaw sharply in the belly. Tigerclaw grunted and crumpled as he landed, winded by the blow.

Rusty was quick. He had been trained by the best. He knew what had to be done. He pounced and landed on Tigerclaw. Without hesitation, he tore his claws through Tigerclaw's throat and leaped clear.

Tigerclaw screeched in pain and writhed. He tried to stand, but fell. Once more, he pushed himself upright with his forelegs. His eyes were clouding. He choked once. Blood was rushing down his chest. Rusty's strike had been true.

Rusty swallowed as he stared at Tigerclaw. _I didn't want this,_ he thought. _Not really. I didn't understand what it would be like… to watch him die. But it had to be done._ His heart wrenched with pain. Tigerclaw had taught him so much. He had practically raised him in the forest. _He was still evil,_ Rusty told himself. _I had to._

Tigerclaw sank down to the ground. His eyes were clenched shut, and he wheezed for every breath. He was going to die, there was no doubt about it, but the tom was stubborn. His claws slid in and out, and he scratched the soft earth in pain. Finally, he opened his eyes and stared right at Rusty.

"I… I always…" Tigerclaw's voice was raspy, and each word dragged out painfully. "Always knew… it would be you." His legs went limp, and he let himself fall fully onto the ground. The light was dimming from his eyes. "I… I'm glad that it was."

Tigerclaw shuddered once, then went still.

Silence fell over the camp. No cat moved a muscle. Rusty himself stared silently at his former companion. His mentor. Tigerclaw was all he had truly known in the forest, and Rusty had killed him.

Finally, some cat whispered. "He…"

Another cut in. "He's dead."

"He's dead!"

"Tigerclaw is dead!"

Every cat took up the victorious cry. "Tigerclaw's dead!"

Bluestar padded forward. She waved her tail for silence. She looked neither pleased nor angry. She gazed levelly at Rusty. "It's you," she meowed. "You're that kittypet. I never thought…" she sighed, softly. "I never thought you would actually find him and do it. Least of all in our own camp."

Rusty swallowed. He wasn't sure whether to grieve or feel proud. Perhaps he felt a mix of both. _This was what was meant to happen,_ he thought. _This is why I came to the forest._ "I did what you asked of me," he finally replied. "Tigerclaw is dead."

"Indeed he is," Bluestar agreed. "And you saved Brackenpaw from him." She lifted her chin. "If it is still your wish, I will accept you into ThunderClan. You may join us as a warrior."

Rusty hesitated. _I should be excited,_ he thought. _This is what I've been dreaming of for moons._ He nodded. "I have nowhere else to go," he meowed. "I'll stay here, if you'll take me." He glanced towards Tigerclaw's body. _I killed my only companion._

"Very well," Bluestar said. "Then welcome to ThunderClan. When our Clanmates return, we will hold your warrior ceremony."

Rusty nodded bleakly. He wanted to feel _something_ other than sour disappointment, but he did not.

* * *

Fireheart yawned and stretched in his nest. He blinked a few times and glanced around the warriors' den. Though it had been moons since ThunderClan took him in, being confined to a den was still jarring. He left quickly after a short wash.

"Hey, Fireheart!" Redtail called. He was eating with Runningwind by a clump of ferns, and they both looked pleased to see him. "Morning!"

Fireheart briefly dipped his head to the deputy. "Hello."

"Fireheart!" Brackenfur meowed. "Come eat with Cinderpelt and I!"

"I'm not hungry," Fireheart replied, with a flick of his tail. "Maybe later."

A ginger molly padded by. "Going hunting?" she meowed. "Want some company?"

"Not really, Sandstorm," Fireheart said. "Thank you, though." He padded past her and headed for the gorse tunnel. The way was familiar, now, and he didn't hesitate as he padded through and out into the forest.

He let out a breath as soon as he was free of the camp. Fireheart never got a moment alone when in camp. As soon as the Clan had all heard that he had vanquished Tigerclaw, they had regarded him a hero. Every cat clung to him like ticks. Sometimes Fireheart enjoyed having Clanmates, but often, all he wanted was to be alone in the woods again.

 _Well,_ he thought. _Not alone._

Fireheart wandered without direction. He ignored the sounds of prey scurrying in the undergrowth. He had no drive to hunt.

His paws carried him to Snakerocks. Fireheart sat at the edge of the terrain, and stared out over it. He watched as an adder slithered out from the rocks and began to sun itself. A smile tugged at his lips. _This was where we met,_ he thought. _I could have died here… but he saved me._

It was hard to grieve for a cat that was like a monster to the Clan. No cat wished to speak of Tigerclaw other than to scorn him, and though Fireheart understood it, it didn't help his mourning. He knew in his heart that Tigerclaw was evil, but he still felt a strong bond to his old mentor.

Fireheart rose and padded away. He weaved his way through the undergrowth. He stopped briefly at a small clearing where he and Tigerclaw had frequently trained, before moving on to a honeysuckle bush where they had nested once. Bit by bit, he traveled through the forest, visiting their old haunts. His heart ached with each stop, but as he went on, he felt a weight being lifted from his shoulders. He had avoided these places for so long. It was good to see them again and remember all he had learned from Tigerclaw.

Fireheart felt himself turning back towards camp. _I know he was a bad cat,_ he thought. _But he also took me in and taught me how to survive… and a part of him did care about me._ He started to walk faster. _I think both of those things can be true. It's important to remember that he wasn't good or right… but I don't have to forget all of the good he did for me._

Fireheart padded back into camp feeling lighter than he had since he joined ThunderClan. _I need to move on,_ he thought. _It's time._ He spotted Sandstorm chatting with her fathers, who were still sitting by the same clump of ferns. His bond with Tigerclaw had been real, and he knew that. But it was time to forge new ones here, in ThunderClan.

"Sandstorm?" he called. "I'll take you up on the hunting patrol, if you're still up for it."

Sandstorm glanced over at him, and after a moment, she smiled. "Great!" she said. "Let's bring Whitestorm and Brightpaw, too. She's been begging me to show her how to catch birds…"

Fireheart nodded as Sandstorm went on. _This is good,_ he told himself. _I'm ready to be a true part of the Clan. And maybe… maybe I'll see Tigerclaw in the stars. One day._


End file.
